The Audrey Irmas Foundation for
The Audrey Irmas Foundation for Social Justice is a private foundation established in 2007 and based in Los Angeles, California. It operates as a family foundation focused on supporting social justice initiatives through grantmaking to 501(c)(3) organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$39.5M
+1.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.2M
-19.9% YoY
Grant Count
36
+28.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$60K
-37.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Audrey Irmas Foundation for reported a distributable amount of $2.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to:
- Social justice initiatives
- Education and youth development
- Jewish causes
- Human services
- Human rights
- Low-cost psychotherapy clinics
- Scholarships
- Medical and legal partnerships
- Assistance for displaced Ukrainians
- LGBTQ rights and reproductive justice
Grantmaking
How to Apply
** The foundation lacks a public website and does not appear to accept unsolicited letters of inquiry or applications. It prefers a proactive approach to grantmaking, making it challenging to access without deep networking connections.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- California (particularly Southern California)
- New York
- District of Columbia
Some funding for Jewish causes and higher education may extend beyond Southern California on a case-by-case basis.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $39,461,694 (2024)
- Total Giving: $2,171,985 (2024)
- Total Assets: $39,028,342 (2023)
- Total Revenues: $3,187,474 (2023)
- Total Expenses: $3,230,724 (2023)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $39,461,694 | $39,028,342 | $38,736,850 |
| Revenue | $3,231,689 | $3,187,474 | $793,642 |
| Expenses | $2,717,991 | $3,230,724 | $2,607,673 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,388,202 | $2,891,064 | $2,100,555 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,948,388 | $2,856,156 | $343,312 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,330,570 | $2,188,149 | $2,345,389 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
117 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Heart of Los Angeles ($295,985), La Family Housing ($250,000), Public Counsel ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A PLACE CALLED HOME LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| ABILITYFIRST PASADENA, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| ACLU FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | IRMAS LGBTQ, GENDER & REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE PROJECT | $200,000 |
| AFRICA FOUNDATION USA FRIDAY HARBOR, WA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $150,000 |
| BET TZEDEK LOS ANGELES, CA | MEDICAL/LEGAL PARTNERSHIP | $150,000 |
| BRESEE FOUNDATION LOS ANGELES, CA | BATTLE POVERTY IN LA | $30,000 |
| BUILDERS OF JEWISH EDUCATION LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| FIRST STAR INC LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| GO CAMPAIGN SANTA MONICA, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,500 |
| HEART OF LOS ANGELES LOS ANGELES, CA | SCHOLARSHIP | $295,985 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Matt Irmas serves as the main contact and is identified as the family's son involved in foundation operations.
The foundation was established by Audrey Irmas, an art collector and philanthropist who served as president and chair of the board of LACMA, home to the Audrey and Sydney Irmas Collection. Her late husband, Sydney Irmas, was a lawyer in Los Angeles.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MATTHEW IRMAS | CEO/CFO/DIRECTOR | 25 | $82,500 |
| JACK IRMAS | DIRECTOR | 0.1 | — |
| DANIEL IRMAS | DIRECTOR | 0.1 | — |
| DAVID LASH | DIRECTOR | 0.1 | — |
| AARON IRMAS | DIRECTOR | 0.1 | — |
| DEBORAH LYNN IRMAS | DIRECTOR | 0.1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation granted $1 million to support the defense of LGBTQ rights and reproductive justice in California. Audrey Irmas has been a longtime supporter of legal education, with a named clinical professorship established at USC Gould School of Law through her gift.
Audrey Irmas Foundation for Social Justice Grants $1 Million to the DefenseThe foundation is also noted as a major backer of Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Audrey Irmas Foundation for fund?
The foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to: • Social justice initiatives • Education and youth development • Jewish causes • Human services • Human rights • Low-cost psychotherapy clinics • Scholarships • Medical and legal partnerships • Assistance for displaced Ukrainians • LGBTQ rights and reproductive justice
How do I apply for a grant from The Audrey Irmas Foundation for?
**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $799,950. **Recent Grants:** The foundation made 25 grants in 2023, including: • Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA): $799,950 for scholarships • LA Family Housing Corp: $250,000 for capital campaign • Public Counsel (PC): $250,000 for general support **Total Giving:** $2,171,985 (2024 data) **Application Process:** The foundation lacks a public website and does not appear to accept unsolicited letters of inquiry or applications. It prefers a proac…
Where does The Audrey Irmas Foundation for make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • California (particularly Southern California) • New York • District of Columbia Some funding for Jewish causes and higher education may extend beyond Southern California on a case-by-case basis.
What size grants does The Audrey Irmas Foundation for award?
In 2024, The Audrey Irmas Foundation for awarded 36 grants totaling $2.2M — an average of about $60K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Audrey Irmas Foundation for required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Audrey Irmas Foundation for reported a distributable amount of $2.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Audrey Irmas Foundation for's EIN?
The Audrey Irmas Foundation for's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-0821014. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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